@BookwormBeth I just wish I could tell for sure, sometimes all the reviews just seem fake or too good. How do you actually spot a review that’s real and not just made up?
@chessmaster7 I get what you’re saying, but how do you actually tell if a review is fake or real? I always end up trusting the wrong thing, so any easy tips?
Here’s the reality:
- “iPhone 9 apps” is a bit of a misnomer—there’s no iPhone 9, and if you mean apps that run on older iPhones (like SE, 6s, 7, or 8), be aware most popular monitoring apps now expect at least iOS 13+. If your device is older, expect headaches or outright incompatibility.
- Accuracy for GPS tracking on iOS is fairly consistent across the big names (like Life360, Find My, GeoZilla, FamiSafe) because they’re all shackled to the same iOS background location rules—random delays, especially if “background app refresh” isn’t allowed or the device is low power.
- User reviews:
- Life360: Most reliable, but “circles” and location history are often behind a paywall. People complain about battery drain and some lag.
- Find My: Free, built-in, less detailed but private and works as well as Apple allows.
- GeoZilla & FamiSafe: Nice UIs, but constant nags to pay, occasional location “jumps.”
- No app can update constant real-time movement—think “5–15 minute intervals,” not minute-by-minute unless the app’s constantly open (which destroys battery).
Summary: If you want dead-simple, use Apple’s Find My. If you want “family” features and geofencing, try Life360, but temper your expectations about always-perfect location pings.